Sealed bearing



E. C. BRODIN SEALED BEARING April 19, 1933.

Filed Jan. 10, 1936 IN VENTOR.

Patented Apr. 19, 1938 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEALED BEARING poration of Delaware Application January 10, 1936, Serial No. 58,441

2 Claims.

This invention relates to sealed bearings and has for an object to provide an improved sealed bearing, sealing means and the method of applying such seal. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a sealing plate which may be expanded and securely and permanently fixed in a groove formed in the inner periphery of the outer ring of an anti-friction bearing.

Another object of the inventionis to provide a sealing plate for an anti-friction bearing, in one ring of which bearing the land or shoulder outwardly 0f the groove into which the plate is to be expanded is of larger diameter than is the entering in portion of the plate before it is expanded.

In the drawing accompanying this specification, one practicable embodiment of. my invention is illustrated in connection with what I now regard as the preferred mode of assembling such bearing:

Figure 1 is an axial section through a bearing made in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an axial section showing one of the sealing plates in position, ready to be pressed and expanded into its finished location.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of the parts seen in the upper right hand corner of Figure 1, showing the sealing plate expanded into the groove in the outer race ring, and

Figure 4 is a similar view of the same parts in Figure 2.

The bearing selected for illustrating this invention is a single row deep groove ball bearing having an inner race ring I and an outer race ring 8, which latter race ring is illustrated as being much narrower in cross section than lathe inner race ring, consequently the hearing may be referred to as an extended inner race. ring type. ent instance the bearing is shown as being symmetrical on both sides of its center plane.

The outer race ring is shown formed with a ball race groove 9 outwardly of which there is a land ill on each side. This land in the illustration is somewhat narrower than is the usual ball bearing practice, because there is formed outwardly of it a circumferential groove I. In one aspect it may be said that the groove is formed in the inner perimeter of the outer race ring of the bearing and has its opening directed toward the inner race ring I. Outwardly of the groove there is a land l2, the face I3 of which is preferably substantially cylindrical and of greater diameter than is the face Ill of the land It. The walls of the groove may be assumed to comprise an outwardly directed plane face or wall IS, an inwardly directed sloping face or wall I6, and a curved wall In the presface I! uniting these. The outer corner I8 of the land I2 is preferably chamfered.

The inner race ring I has a race groove l9 formed in it. Outwardly of this groove at each side there is shown a land 20; outwardly of the land 2|! a cylindrical portion 2| is formed. The outer surface of this cylindrical portion 2| is of less diameter than is the cylindrical outer face of the land 20.

A series of balls 22 is shown mounted in the grooves 9 and I9, and these balls are represented as carrying a cage 23.

The plate or closure member before assembly is about as represented in Figures 2 and 4; that is, it has a plane portion 25 an inwardly directed transverse portion 26 which is substantially cylindrical. At its outer edge the plate has a short substantially cylindrical portion 21, the outer surface 28 of which is of less diameter than is the diameter of the face l3 of the land l2, which permits the free insertion of the plate into position to be expanded and forced into the groove l during the remainder of the seating operation. With the plate in the position. shown in Figures 2 and 4 having the end 29 of the portion 21 against the outwardly facing wall it of the groove this wall preferably occupying a radial plane application of pressure to the outer face 30 around the entire portion 25 of the plate in the direction of the arrow causes the plate to bend in about the region 3|, really about the entire circumference represented by such reference character. The bending of the plate expands its outer edge up into the bottom of the groove l l, until there is circumferential contact at 32 with the inwardly facing wall I8 of the land l2 and also along the broad line 3| on the wall 21 of the groove face 33 which is formed by mashing in the outer comer of the end 29. During this movement the cylindrical portion indicated by 211 is abruptly bent, see 35 Figures 1 and 3. Preferably the parts are so formed and proportioned that this bend does not completely bottom in the groove As will be noted, particularly by reference to Figures 3 and 4, during the seating operation the inwardly directed transverse flange 26 has moved further into the space formed by. the undercut represented by 2| and the outer face 30 is well within the end face 36 of the inner ring of the hearing, this being the widest portion of the bearing illustrated. Preferably the inner surface 31 of the flange 2G coincides with the surface 38 of the land 20.

It will be seen that the plate when assembled is disposed at an appreciable distance from the balls 22 and their cage 23 and that there is ample space 55 within the plate to contain a large supply of lubricant.

It will also be noted that there is a small or deflnite clearance between the surface 39 of the flange 26 and the face M] of the land 20. This provides ample clearance in the running of the hearing but is sufficiently close for preventing the escape of lubricant or the entrance of foreign matter into the bearing and the parts are also of such relative shapes and proportions that there is not any pumping action either inwardly or outwardly during operation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An antifriction bearing having an inner race ring and an outer race ring, the outer race ring being formed outwardly of its raceway with a land, and there'being formed in the inner perimeter of the ring outwardly of such land a circumferential groove opening toward the inner race ring, there being outwardly of such groove a land of greater diameter than is the land inwardly of such groove, the walls of the groove comprising an outwardly directed plane wall face, an inwardly directed sloping wall face, and a wall face uniting these, and a closure plate, the outer edge of the plate being seated in the groove, there being circumferential contact with the inwardly facing wall of the outer land and also along a broad line on the outwardly facing wall of the groove, the edge portion of the plate being abruptly bent inwardly, this bend not completely bottoming in the groove.

2. An antifriction bearing, the outer race ring being formed with a land on each side, and there being formed in the inner perimeter of the ring outwardly of each such land a circumferential groove opening toward the inner race ring, there being a land outwardly of such groove of greater diameter than is the land inwardly thereof, the walls of the groove comprising an outwardly directed plane wall face, an inwardly directed sloping wall face, and a wall face uniting these, and a closure plate having its outer edge seated in each of the said grooves, it having circumferential contact with the inwardly facing wall of the outer land and also along a broad line on the outwardly facing wall of the groove, the edge portion of the plate being abruptly bent inwardly, this bend not completely bottoming in the groove.

ERIC C. BRODIN. 

